Fluctuation in Life Expectancy

diabetesAmericans are living significantly longer than they used to. While that is great news, financially it is becoming increasingly burdensome for the state. What happened many years ago was that social security was set at 65, as, at that time, life expectancy for US males was 68 and for women, three or four years more. Also statistically back then, most people actually passed away before having the opportunity to collect a lot of the money. So funding this was not so burdensome. Things have changed a lot since then. Life expectancy has now increased to late 70s, and along with it, the burden of social security funding.

Today there is increasingly more we can do to prevent premature death and also enhance quality of life. Preventing diabetes and heart disease (major causes of death) can be done via lifestyle changes. Keeping in shape and avoiding obesity are the main methods. Quitting smoking and cutting out drinking are two key ways to do this as well.

And of course, with an improved quality of life, medical expenditure diminishes and the state becomes less burdened. There is no reason for the elderly to stop moving. They can slow down, yes, but walking, swimming, and all sorts of gentle exercise are absolutely vital for maintaining a decent quality of life. In fact, some seniors even find weight lifting rewarding and the more they do this, the more accustomed to it they become. Weight lifting, Pilates and Yoga are particularly good for balance which tends to become more problematic later in life.

When it comes to life expectancy and quality of life for the ageing, there is a lot we can control.